The invention relates to a drive device on the basis of a gel-type propellant, in particular, for a flying object, comprising at least one tank for gel-type propellant, a combustion chamber and a device for supplying propellant to the combustion chamber.
The invention relates, in addition, to a method for conveying propellant in a drive device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,183 A discloses a drive system, with which a gel-type oxidizing agent is used.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,979 discloses a rocket motor which is driven by means of a gelatin-like mono-fuel.
Gel-type propellants and their applications are described in the articles “An Overview of Investigations on Gel Fuels for Ramjet Applications” of H. K. Ciezki and B. Natan, International Symposium on Airbreathing Engines, ISABE 2005, Munich, designated for publication in September 2005, “Theoretical Approaches on the Influence of Non-linear Material Properties of Gel Propellants on the Flow in Injectors” of H. K. Ciezki et al., 33rd International Annual Conference of ICT, Karlsruhe, 2002 or “The Status of Gel Propellants in Year 2000” of B. Natan and S. Rahimi in Combustion of Energetic Materials, Editors K. K. Kuo, L. deLuca, Boca Raton, 2001.
Gel-type propellants have the advantage that they are solid under normal conditions and are flowable when subjected to shear stress. A controllable drive device may be made available on account of these properties. In comparison therewith, solid propellants can be stored and are easy to handle but the combustion can no longer be stopped after ignition and, normally, corresponding engines can also not be regulated. Hydraulic engines, on the other hand, can be regulated but their sensitivity with respect to leakages is very great and considerable resources are required with respect to conveyance. The positive characteristics of solid fuel and hydraulic drives can be combined by drive devices on the basis of gel propellants.